Low-income Americans face problems in finding housing because their numbers have increased over the last two decades while the pool of affordable housing has shrunk.
Landlords have dropped out of subsidy programs or properties have been closed because of age or razed.
Wages haven't kept up with housing cost rises driven by a strong economy.
Jobs have increased in suburbs with little affordable housing and no transportation.
Congress refused any new assistance vouchers between 1995-1998.
Public housing turnover is low and waiting lists are long.
Also, public housing concentrates extremely poor people, sapping commercial vitality and fostering racial and economic segregation.
Minority mortgage applicants face discrimination.
The elderly poor are needlessly warehoused in sterile nursing homes for lack of affordable alternatives.
Efforts to address these problems include updating the 1937 public housing law.
In 1977 banks were required to loan money to low-income and minority residents where they did business.
Real or proposed measures include block grants to states for housing assistance, greater availability of rent subsidies and federally insured mortgages, use of rent vouchers to help buy a home, and incentives or requirements to keep landlords in subsidy programs and encourage the creation of subsidized housing units.
To provide a better economic mix, the working poor have been lured to housing projects through relaxed income limits, set-aside units, and bump-ups on waiting lists.
Real Estate Investment Trusts specializing in affordable housing were established.
It was proposed that FHA revenues be reserved for use in federal housing initiatives.
